Help! iBeam more feedback resistant than Element. Why?

[loren]

Hi,

I can't figure this one out. Why is my iBeam more feedback resistant than my Element in my iMix? I had adjusted the iBeam on the iMix preamp to have more or equal amount of bass as the Element and would have assumed that this would cause me problems with the iBeam and feedback. But I just realized, ever since, it had been the Element causing me early feedback problems.

I have no problem with the sound. It sounds great but would like suggestions how to solve this problem as I believe the Element should be way more feedback resistant than the iBeam and it isn't the case with me.

Some info:
My iMix was set up by a tech. My strings are new. I compared my feedback level to my friends LB6 on his guitar and I had feedback issues with my Element at half his volume but the iBeam was fine.

Thanks.

Sincerely.

Loren

[loren]

Additional notes. I have not only increased the bass but the iMix iBeam gain as well. So the iBeam is slightly louder than the iMix. I have not touched anything else on the iMix preamp

[Caleb_Elling]

loren,
I am wondering if your pickups are plugged into the wrong channels. How have you determined that the Element is the pickup that is feeding back, and not the iBeam? Are you just adjusting the mix wheel in a certain direction? Or have you tried other tests as well?

[loren]

Plugged into the wrong channel? Hmm. I am thinking of a simple test. If I plugged the iMix into a stereo Y cable, with red being left and black being right, which pick up should I expect on the left and the other on the right channel? This should tell me if the pick ups are in their proper connections I think? If not, is there a test I can do? As is, full left is iBeam with the wheel and full right is the Element. At full right, i get feed back. When I adjusted the iMix preamp, to add more bass on the iBeam. It did so. How else to check? Also by ear, I can tell which one is the Element and which one is the iBeam. But would ask how to do the tests please. Thanks.

[Caleb_Elling]

The only way to really test which pickup is plugged into which slot it to physically touch each pickup. So you would have to remove the strings, move the mix towards the neck (left, or counter-clockwise), and reach in and tap on the iBeam. Then change the blend to the opposite side and see which side of the blend the iBeam is on. The neck side of the blend should be the iBeam, and the bridge side should be the Element.

You can try doing this test with the strings on, tapping on the bridge, but it is much more difficult to accurately discern which pickup is which since both pickups will hear it.

[loren]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. That does sound difficult. I am familiar with the iBeam sound. I was thinking I could strum the strings and it would be the same as tapping the pick up since I know the sound? The blend control is placed at the top of the sound hole (while I am sitting down, guitar on my lap). Moving the blend to my left (towards the neck) is the iBeam and to the right is the Element. If it's slots were reversed in error, would that mean the Element would be on the left and the iBeam to the right? I am not sure if this is what you meant though.

[loren]

Additional question, may be related. Assuming my pick ups are in the proper position, what exactly does the Phase Inversion do on the iMix. I mean, is it the same as the Venue DI? I was thinking the Venue DI PI acts between the pick ups and the amplifier. Does the PI in the iMix act between the 2 pick ups? So it is not my physical position to the amplifier dependent and would not be the same as the PI on my Venue Di?

[Caleb_Elling]

The phase inversion on the iMix controls the phase of the two pickups in relation to each other. Changing the phase will definitely shift any occurring feedback to another frequency- sometimes this is better, other times it can make it worse.

If you are sure of what the iBeam sounds like vs. the Element, then you shouldn't have to do any other tests. However, if the phase inversion doesn't make the Element more feedback resistant than the iBeam, then I don't know what else could be happening. Assuming that everything is wired and working correctly, I can't think of any reason why the Element would be feeding back over the iBeam.

[loren]

Hi. Any possibility the Element might have placed in the reverse order under the saddle? Meaning is there a difference in tone and would this be actually possible to get wrong? Can one tell how to install it the proper way just by looking at it? If it were placed in the reversed order would my problem seem related? Meaning if The wrong side of the Element were used, the lower bass strings would tend to feedback more because they were designed for thinner strings? To me the sound seems balanced. From the low to the highest E.

[loren]

Additional question: for me to check if the Element is the right position, if I need to check, should the wiring come from upper or lower part of the bridge. Upper meaning the bass string side and lower is the treble strings. Thanks

[Caleb_Elling]

The Element is non-directional, as far as bass and treble goes. So that shouldn't cause any issues.